Ovine Breeds are Protected by the 'Breeding in the Hands of the Public' Project

With the small cattle breeding project carried out by TAGEM, affiliated to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, since 2005, domestic sheep and goat breeds are taken under protection, and the purity of the breeds is ensured by preventing the inclusion of different rams and goats.

With the project implemented in 21 domestic sheep and 6 goat breeds, an average of 10,6 percent increase was achieved in the viability of the offspring, and the annual contribution to the economy was 336 million liras.

With the Ovine Breeding National Project (HEKIP), the purity of the domestic sheep and goat breeds of our country is preserved and their yields are increased.

With HEKIP, which is the most comprehensive national animal breeding project in the history of the Republic, an average of 3,7 kg of weaning live weight and an average of 10,6 percent increase in viability were achieved.

The "Holy Ovine Breeding National Project" (HEKIP), carried out under the coordination of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, General Directorate of Agricultural Research and Policies (TAGEM), is the most comprehensive national animal breeding R&D study in the history of our Republic, implemented in order to protect the domestic sheep and goats of our country and increase their productivity.

With the project that started in 2005, multi-stakeholder cooperation was established with 29 project leaders from 56 different universities, non-governmental organizations and public organizations in 60 provinces. In this way; university, breeder association and public cooperation were provided.

The project is implemented in 21 domestic sheep and 6 goat breeds.

As of today, 60 sub-projects (178 million 1 thousand heads) are being implemented in 121 provinces. 178 of the 139 sub-projects are carried out in sheep and 39 in goats.

A subproject consists of 6000 rootstock females and 300 rootstock male materials. A total of 178 project technical personnel employed in each sub-project take part in the projects. (Engineer, Veterinarian, Technician, Technician).

Thanks to the project, our domestic sheep and goat breeds were taken under protection and pure breeding of breeds was ensured by preventing the addition of different rams and goats. At the same time, interest in ovine breeding has been increased, and the rapid decline in our gene resources, which has started to decline, has been prevented.

The project acted as an important buffer for the protection of local breeds against foreign breeds brought from abroad within the scope of various studies.

The achievements of the project can be listed as follows:

• An average of 3,7 kg increase was achieved in weaning live weights of lambs/kids.
• In lambs/kids, there was an average of 10,6 percent increase in livability. Thanks to the project, approximately 102.000 lambs/kids survive each year.
• There was an average of 5,7 percent increase in twinning in sheep and goats. This rate corresponds to approximately 42.000 puppies.
• The annual contribution of the project to the economy is 336 million TL.

WORKS ON THE FIELD

Works are carried out in the field with the Ovine Breeding National Project (HEKIP) in the Hands of the Public.

Last of all Officials from the Livestock and Fisheries Research Department of the General Directorate of Agricultural Research and Policies participated in the field studies of the sub-projects implemented in the provinces of Erzincan, Tunceli and Elazig within the scope of the Ovine Breeding National Project in the Hands of the Public and held consultation meetings.

The experts in the team visited the provincial directorates and the provincial breeding sheep breeders' associations and held meetings.

In addition, within the scope of field studies and breeder visits, the team members housed the breeders in the tents in the Erzincan border Kelkit Gürleyik village (altitude 2120 m), Tunceli, Hozat district Buzlupınar village (altitude 1910 m) and Tunceli, Pülümür Balpayam village plateau (altitude 3.200). they visited.

TAGEM General Manager Dr. Metin Türker gave the following information about the projects:

“The project is the most comprehensive national animal breeding study implemented to date, which was initiated to protect Turkey's domestic sheep and goats and increase their productivity. Multi-stakeholder cooperation was established with 29 project leaders from 56 different universities, non-governmental organizations and public institutions in 60 provinces. The project is implemented in 21 sub-projects (6 million 60 thousand headstocks) in 178 provinces in 1 domestic sheep and 121 goat breeds. Out of 178 sub-projects, 139 sub-projects are carried out in sheep and 39 sub-projects are carried out in goats. A subproject; It consists of 6000 rootstock females and 300 rootstock male materials.”

Noting that significant progress and achievements were made in the works carried out within the scope of the project, Türker continued as follows:

“From the beginning of the project until today, it has been determined that an average of 22,5% increase in weaning live weight, 5,7% in twins and 10,6% in viability has been achieved, and these results have been published in the scientific community.

4 sub-projects in total, including 1 sub-projects for Şavak Akkaraman Sheep and 5 sub-project for Morkaraman Sheep, are being implemented in Elazig Province within the scope of the National Project for Rehabilitation of Ovine Breeding in Public Hands (HEKIP). There are 4 Şavak Akkaraman Sheep sub-projects in Erzincan and 2 Şavak Akkaraman Sheep sub-projects in Tunceli. In total, breeding studies are carried out on 69.300 broodstock animals in these three provinces. A total of 359 TL support payments were made to a total of 33.155.111,00 breeders involved in the projects implemented in these three provinces, which fulfilled the project requirements so far. A total of 60 million TL support was given to our 5237 breeders, who took part in the projects carried out in 693,7 provinces throughout Turkey and fulfilled the project requirements so far.”

Türker, who stated that the Ovine Breeding National Project in the Hands of the Public continues to grow and its importance is increasingly recognized, said, “Our most important insurance in the fight against global climate change and increasing drought is our domestic sheep and goats. We protect the domestic sheep and goats of Turkey and we make great efforts to develop them. Our country has the most favorable geography for making sheep and goats. And this awareness is increasing. We still have a lot of work to do. Arm in arm with our General Directorate of Livestock, we will continue to work with all our might to support our callused breeders who guard these mountains and plateaus for our sheep and goats and under these conditions.”